Carbonizing apparatus.



No. 709,967. Patented Sept. 30, I902.

' G. W. CURTlSS UARBONIZING APPARATUS. (Application filed Nov. 30, 1901.

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No. 709,967. Patented Sept. 30, I902. a, w. cunnss;

C ARBONIZING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Nov. 30, 1901.)

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Patented Sept. 30. I902.

.G. w. CURTISS.

CABBUNIZING APPARATUS.

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No. 709,967. Patented Sept. 30, 1902.

a. w. cun'r s. CABBONIZING APPARATUS;

(Application filed Nov. 30, 1901.)

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THE ,Numps PETERS 0a.. Panic-Lumen WASHINGTON. 04 c UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

GEORGE WV. OURTISS, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MORROW PRO- TEOTIVE PROCESS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CARBONIZING'APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,967, dated September 30, 1902.

Application filed November 30, 1901. Serial No. 84,274. (No model.)

b at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. CURTISS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oarbonizing Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to carb'oniziug apparatus. I

The apparatus is especially designed for use in a process wherein the lines to be carbonized are written or printed upon paper or some other suitable material by a colored ink,

the carboniza'tion being accomplished by subjecting the paper carrying such lines of written or printed matter to the action of artificial heat until such lines become carbonized and are rendered permanentand ineradicable,

The object of the present invention is to provide a heating apparatus by means of which the operation of carbonizing the 'writ-, ten or printed matter may be quickly, conveniently, and efficiently carried out; and a further object of the invention is to provide a heating apparatus of this character by means of which a large amountof written orprinted matter may be carbonized within a minim um period of time.

will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood,the same consists in certain novel features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described, defined in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective'view of the appa ratus. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is'a central vertical transverse section. Fig.4 is a vertical trans verse section online asset-Fig-2 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5' is a fragmentary View showing the construction of one of the pockets of the rotary wheel. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the gate. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View illustrating the stop mechanism. I

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 represents a suitable chambered base, which is supported upon feet'2 and in which is arranged a heating device 3, which'may be in the form of a gasburner, as shown, an electric heater, or any other preferred typeof heating means. The bottom of this base is open, as shown at 4, for

the inlet of air, and arranged above said opening is an asbestos shield 5, which is designed to protect the counter or deskon which the apparatus may rest'from the heat from the burner 3.

This shield is of less width than the base, so to leave spaces or passages at on opposite sides thereof for the entrance of air to support combustion. Between the shield 5 and the burner is a trough-shaped shield formed of two parts or sections 6 and 7, of asbestos, which protect the sides of the base from the heat of the burner 3. The lower edges of said sections 6 and 7 are spaced apart to form a central air-passage 8, through which the air enters the upper portion of the chamher and passes to opposite sides of the burner, by which-it is heated. The shields are retained in position by holding-lugs 9, from which they may be readily disconnected for removal whenever desired. Above the burner is arranged a flame-spreader and heatdiffuser 10, which consists of a sheet-metal plate folded centrally to form a divider 11,

. from which extend upwardly and laterally \Vith these and other objects in view, which i curved wings 12, which are spaced apart from the wall of the heating chamber to provide passages 13 for the upward flow of the heated air to a cylindrical inclosiug casing v 14, supported upon the said base 1. The wings 12 deflect the flames and heated air laterally, so as to difiuse the heat and cause the passage of an equal supply ofhot air to the casing 14 through eachof the passages 13. drical drum 15, which isheld concentric therewith by interconnecting pieces 16, forming a. space or chamber 17 between thetwo for thereception of the hot air from the base'or heatingchamber 1. These two cylinders are closed at their'ends by the heads 18 and 19, which are common to both cylinders. A retary wheel or carrier 20 isarranged within the drum and comprises a longitudinal shaft 21, journaled in said heads, a series of periph- The casing 14 incloses a 'cylin" eral strips or slats 22, the radial spokes orarms 23, and the end disks 24. The arms 23 are formed of V-shaped rods or wires, which are slightly flattened at the vertex portion to bear upon the shaft and are provided with hooks 25 at their free ends to fit within seats in the outer edges of the pair of cooperating slats 22. The rods or wires are arranged in longitudinal rows, each row forming, with the cooperating slats, a V-shaped tray or pocket 26. The pockets are closed at their ends by the disks 24, to which the slats or strips 22 are fixed. Each of said slats or strips preferably consists of a strip of sheet metal folded to embrace the hooked ends of the arms, the folded edges of the strip forming between them the receiving-space or seat for the said hooked ends of the arms. The arms are clamped and held spaced the proper distance apart by collars 27, which surround the shaft 21, and said shaft is formed with threaded portions 28 to receive clam pingnuts 2H, which bear against the heads 24 and force the collars inward to clamp the arms in place. The Wheel constructed as thus described forms a series of V-shaped trays in the form of pockets to receive the checks, tickets, or papers carrying the lines of writing to be carbonized, which trays are connected toa common shaft or actuating device, by which they are adapted to be turned or rotated in unison.

The lower half or portion of the space or chamber 17 is separated from the upper half or portion thereof by partitions 30, and the drtun 15 is in communication with the lower portion of said chamber through the medium of ports 31 and with the upper portion of said chamber through the medium of similar ports 32, by which the hot air from the heateris supplied to the drum to carbonize the lines of writ ing on the cl1ecks,tickets,or papers contained in the trays 26 and then exhausts to the atmosphere. As will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 3, the hot air entering the lower half of the chamber 17 from the heater first passes into the drum or inner casing 15 and circulates therein through the open or foraminous trays 2t) and then passes out through the ports 32 into the upper half of said chamber 17 and exhausts to the atmosphere through exhaust-ports 33, formed or provided in the top of the casing 14.

Secured to the upper surface of the casing isan inclined shell 34, and formed in the casing is a feed-aperture 35, which is separated from the chamber 17 by partitions 36 and registers with an aperture formed in the drum 15. The shelf 34 serves as a support for the checks, tickets, or papers to be fed into the trays 26 and guides the same to the feed-aperture 35, whence they fall into the trays as the latter in rotating pass by and beneath said aperture. A discharge-aperture 37 is formed in the drum 15 at a point diametrically opposite the feed-aperture and registers with a discharge-chute 38, attached to the casing 14, which chute conducts the checks, tickets, or papers on which the lines of writing have been carbonized to a suitable tray or receptacle 39. The feed-aperture is normally closed by atilting gate or valve 40, which is automatically opened as each tray 26 comes in line therewith to allow the check, ticket, or paper resting on the shelf 34 to feed or drop by gravity into said tray. This gate is carried by a rock-shaft 41, journaled in the casing 14 and having at one end an inclined arm 41, which is adapted to be engaged by cams 42, fixed to one of the heads 24. These cams, which correspond in number to the trays 26, are so constructed and arranged as to open the valve as each tray comes in line with the feed-aperture and to maintain the valve open a sufiicient length of time to permit the ticket, check, or paper to pass through the aperture and into the tray before the valve closes. It is preferable to have the cams properly shaped to cause the valve to open quickly and to close gradually or slowly, as the quick opening of the valve allows the object to be treated to fall immediately and uniformly orat the proper angle into the tray or pocket, while the gradual or slow closing of the valve afiords sufficient time for the object to feed into the tray below before another tray comes into receiving position and obviates all liability of said object being caught by the valve on its closing movement. As the valve opens instantly under the action of a cam, it will be readily understood that the object to be treated will pass at once through the feed-aperture into the registering tray or pocket without tilting or canting and will thus be prevented from hanging in the feedopening or between the blades or wires of the tray. Hence reliability in the proper feed and discharge of the checks or objects under treatment is insured.

The shaft 21, carrying the rotary trays 26, is driven from a spring or other suitable m0- tor 43, connected by insulated supports 44 upon the exterior of the casing to the head 18. This motor is shown conventionally in Figs. 1 and 2 and is represented as having a drive gear-wheel 45 to mesh with a pinion 46 on the shaft 21, by which said shaft is driven to rotate the trays 2t A stop device 46 is provided for arresting the motion of the rotary wheel or carrier and comprises a finger or lug 49, carried by a rod or shaft 47, journaled in the heads 18 19 and having one end extending exteriorly of the casing and threaded to receive a thumb-nut 48, by which it is adapted to be turned to project the stop-lug 4!) through an aperture 50 in the drum into and out of the path of the cams 42 on the wheel. A pin 51, fixed to the head 1.), limits the movement of the lug in one direction- 2'. e., in the direction of retractionand a spring 52 is seated in a socket in the nut 48 and is adapted to bear upon the head 18 to hold the stop device in adjusted position. This spring causes sufficient resistance to the movement of the rod 47 to prevent casual projection of the 1ug,-as well as to prevent retraction of the lug when projected to engage a cam 42 by the contact of the cam therethe motor set in action to rotate the wheel when the temperature rises to a predetermined point, the checks, tickets, or papers carrying the written or printed matter to be carbonized are one by one rested on the shelf and fed into'the V-shaped trays or pockets 26,this operation being automatically effected by the cams 42 contacting with the arm 41 of the rock-shaft 41, by which the gate is swung open to allow the check or paper to drop through the feed-aperture 35 into the pocket 26 therebelow. As the checks or papers arecarried by the rotation of the tray, which turns in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, the lines of writing thereon are subjected to the action of the hot air circulating in the drum 15, and are thereby carbonized and rendered permanent andineradicable. Upon the coming of each tray into register with the discharge-chute 38 the check or paper therein discharges through said chute onto the tray 39. Bykeeping the apparatus in constant use a large amount of written or printed matter may thus be carbonized within a minimum period of time. When it is desired to stop the wheel, theing 45 is projected by turning the nut or finger-piece48 to rock the shaft 47, whereby the lug is brought into position to engage one of the cams 42 to stop the wheel, with one of the trays or pockets in register with the feed-aperture. To start the wheel again, the lug is retracted and the motor set in operation, as will be readily understood. The hot air from the base or heating-chamber 1 passes upwardly into the lower'portion'of the chamber 17, to the opposite sides of which it is equally directed by the Wings 12 of the spreader 1t),

and thence flows through the ports 31 into the drum l5'and circulates through said drum and through the foraminous pockets'26, thereby causing the rapid heating and carbonization of the Written or printed matter con- After'circulating in tained in said pockets. the drum the heated air discharges into the upper'portion of the chamber 17 and thence to the atmosphere through the ports 32. The

writing on the papers or materials to be treated is done by a suitable chemical writ ing fluid, which is'adapted to sink into the fiber of the paper and when subjected to artificial heat to become carbonized, thus rendering the writing permanent and ineradicable.

The arms or spokes 20, forming the body portion of each tray or pocket, are preferably composed, asshown, of wire or strips of metal of such size as tofifornif-thin metallic.

rests or supports for the paper placed thereon, relatively thin material being used in order to secure the quick and even heating of said supports and even carbonization of the material.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

the construction, mode of operation, and advantages of my invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation. Various changes in .the form, proportion,

.and details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

v Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A portable apparatus for carbonizing ink on paper comprising a heating-chamber provided with feed and discharge apertures, a tray within the chamber and movable to register with saidapertures, a gate or valve closing the feed-aperture, means for moving the tray, and means carried by the tray for opening said gate or valve as the tray moves into register with the feed-aperture, substantially as set forth.

2. A portable apparatus forcarbonizingink on paper comprising a heating-chamber provided with feed and discharge apertures, a tray within the chamber and movable to register with said apertures, a gate or valve closing the feed-aperture, means for moving the tray, and a cam carried by the tray for opening said gate or valve as theftray moves into register with the feed-apertu re, substantially as set forth.

3. A portable apparatus for carbonizing ink on paper comprising a heating-chamber provided with feed and discharge apertures, a traywithin the chamber and movable to reg: ister with said apertures, a gate or valve closing'the feed-aperture,.means for moving the tray, and a cam carried by the tray for open to come inregister with said apertures, a gateor valve closing the feed-aperture, means for rotating the tray, a rock-shaft carrying the valve'andprovided with an arm, and aIcamuponthe tray for engaging said arm to rock the shaft and open the valve as the tray moves into register with the feed-aperture, substantially asset forth. V

5. A portable apparatus for carbonizing ink on paper comprising a heating-chamberpro-,

vided with feed and discharge apertures, a

rotary tray Within the chamber and. movable to come in register with said apertures, a gate or valve closing the feed-aperture, means for rotating the tray, a rock-shaft carrying the valve and provided with an arm, a cam upon the tray for engaging said arm to rock the shaft and open the valve, and a stop device for engaging said cam to arrest the motion of the tray, substantially as set forth. I

6. In an apparatus for carbonizing ink on paper, the combination of a heating-chamber provided with feed and discharge apertures, a rotary tray within the chamber and movable to come in register with said apertures, a gate or valve closing the feed-aperture, means for rotating the tray, a stop-lug projectable into the path of the tray to arrest the motion thereof, a rock-shaft carrying said lug, and means for maintaining the rock-shaft and lug in adjusted position, substantially as set forth.

7. In an apparatus for carbonizing ink on paper, the combination of a heating-chamber provided with feed and discharge apertures, means for heating said chamber, a tray mov- 2 able within the chamber to register with said apertures, means for moving the tray, agate or valve closing the feed-aperture, a rockshaftcarrying said valve, a cam upon the tray for actuating said rock-shaft, a lug projectable into the path of the cam to arrest the motion of the tray, a rock-shaft for actuating said lug, and means for maintaining the lug in adjusted position, substantially as set forth.

8. In a device for carbonizing ink on paper, the combination of a heating-chamber provided with feed and discharge apertures, means for heating said chamber, a shaft, end pieces upon the shaft, slats connected to the end pieces, a series of V-shaped arms connected to the slats and forming a tray or pocket for the reception of the paper carrying the lines of writing to be carbonized, means for clamping the vertex portions of the arms to the shaft, and means for rotating said shaft, substantially as set forth.

9. In a device for carbonizing ink on paper, the combination of a heating -chamber provided with feed and discharge apertures, means for heating said chamber, a shaft, end pieces upon the shaft, slats connected to the end pieces, a series of V-shaped arms connected to the slats and forming a tray or pocket for the reception of the paper carrying the lines of writing to be carbonized, collars on the shaft between the arms, means for forcing the collars toward each other to clamp the vertex portions of the arms to the shaft, and means for rotating said shaft, substantially as set forth.

10. A portable apparatus for carbonizing ink on paper comprising a supporting-base having a heater arranged therein, a casing mounted upon the base and having inlet and discharge apertures, a drum arranged within the base, heads closing the ends of the cylinand provided with pockets to receive the pa pcrs carrying the lines of writing to be carbonized, and means for operating the wheel, substantially as specified.

11. A portable apparatus for carbonizing ink on paper comprising a heating-chamber provided with feed and discharge apertures, means for heating said chamber, a rotary wheel mounted within the chamber and provided with a series of trays or pockets for receiving the papers carrying the lines of writing to be carbonized from said feed aperture and moving the same through the heated chamber to the discharge-apertu re, a gate or valve closing the feed-aperture, cams upon the wheel for automatically opening said valve as each tray or pocket moves into receiving position, and means for operating said wheel, substantially as set forth.

12. A portable apparatus for carbonizing ink on paper comprising a heating-chamber provided with feed and discharge apertures, means for heating said chamber, -a rotary wheel mounted within the chamber and provided with a series of trays or pockets for receiving the papers carrying the lines of writing to be carbonized from said feed-aperture and moving the same through the heated chamber to the discharge-aperture, a gate or valve closing the feed-aperture, means for opening the valve as each tray or pocket moves into receiving position, means for engaging the wheel toarrest'the motion thereof, and means for operating said wheel, substantially as set forth.

13. In a device forcarbonizingink on paper, the combination of a heating-chamber provided with feed and discharge apertures, a shaft arranged therein, disks mounted upon the shaft, slats connected to said disks, rows of metallic V-shaped arms having their vertex portions bearing on the shaft and their free ends connected to the slats, forming a series of trays or pockets, collars about the shaft between the arms, fastening devices for forcing said collars toward each other to clamp the arms to the shaft, and means for rotating the shaft, substantially as set forth.

14. A portable apparatus for carbonizing ink on paper comprisinga base having a heating device arranged therein, a casing supported by and in communication with the base, a drum arranged within the casing and in communication therewith, said casing and drum beingprovided with hot-air inlets and outlets and feed and discharge apertures for the papers carrying the lines of writing to be carbonized, a Wheel arranged within the drum and provided with a series of trays or pockets, and means for rotating said wheel, substantially as set forth.

15. In an apparatus for carbonizing ink on paper, the combination, with a casing provided with vent-openings, of a drum therein and spaced therefrom, the space suitably partitioned to form inlet and outlet spaces for der, a wheel rotatabl y supported by the heads heated air id spaces being in communication with the casing and the casing and drum provided with feed and discharge apertures, means for supplying heated air to the inletspace, a tray movable within the drum to register with said apertures, and means for moving the tray, substantially as set forth.

16. In an apparatus for carbonizing ink on paper, the combination, with a casing provided with vent-openings, of a drum therein and spaced therefrom, the space suitably partitioned to form inlet and outlet spaces for heated air, said spaces being in communication with the casing and the casing and drum provided with feed and discharge apertures, means for supplying heated air to the inletmy hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 25 messes.

GEORGE W. GURTISS. WVitnesses:

E. F. CAVERLY, BENJ. G. OoWL. 

